Betrayed by Love by Marilyn Lee Read Free Book Online Page B

don’t need help landing a man.”
    “I know that. Stop overreacting.” She squeezed my arm. “Let’s go meet Grant.”
    “Do I have a choice?”
    “No.” She laughed and tugged at my arm. “I promise you’ll like him.”
    I gave her a cool look. This stunt would seal things for me. I was definitely going to be on that plane on Friday night flying back to L.A. But for now, I’d have to meet this Grant.
    I pulled my arm from hers. “I don’t like this,” I told her.
    “Lin—”
    I shook my head. “There’s nothing else to say.”
    She sighed and turned away.
    I followed her into the living room, seething.
    Jarrod and the other man occupying the room rose when we entered.
    I cast a quick look at Grant then did a double take. The resemblance between the two men was superficial. Grant was a few inches taller. His hair was a much lighter brown and his eyes were an intense and almost startling blue. I guessed he was about ten years younger than Jarrod. He looked as if he’d be at home on the cover of an upscale men’s magazine. Whereas Jarrod was “interesting,” Grant was handsome with an unmistakable hard–body, but strangely enough, I was hard pressed to keep my gaze from lingering on Jarrod’s face as he introduced Grant.
    “Lin, this is my cousin, Grant West. Grant, this is Linea Hills, Jen’s best friend.”
    Grant flashed a dazzling white smile my way as his hand closed around mine. “I’m delighted to meet you, Linea. Or may I call you Lin?”
    I noted a rather enchanting dimple in his left cheek. He held my hand longer than politeness dictated and he looked directly into my eyes as he spoke.
    I swallowed hard, feeling almost as if he were looking directly into my soul and seeing my lustful thoughts. That’s a feeling I didn’t like one bit. “Sure. Everyone calls me Lin.” I flashed him a quick smile and withdrew my hand from his.
    “Do they?” Like, Jarrod, he had a warm, deep baritone. “Then maybe I’ll call you Linea.”
    “Why?”
    He shrugged his broad shoulders. “I’ve never liked being lost in a crowd with other men.”
    I blinked at him. “Were we talking about men?”
    He arched a brow. “Isn’t that what you meant?”
    “No. It wasn’t.”
    “I stand corrected. May I call you Linea?”
    He possessed the air of a man used to getting everything he wanted from a woman. What had possessed Jen to think I’d be interested in a man who probably viewed himself as God’s gift? I flashed him a cool smile. “Sure…fine. Call me Linea if you like.”
    “I do.”
    I looked away from his intense gaze and the undeniable intimacy he managed to project into the two words. “Great.” I moved across the room to sit on the loveseat, my heart racing and my cheeks hot. Okay, Lin. Get a grip. You are not going to let some smooth talking ladies’ man get under your skin.
    “What would you like to drink, Lin?” Jarrod asked me.
    “A Martini,” I said. I glanced at Grant and found his blue gaze locked on me. I forced myself not to look away. If he wanted to stare, let him.
    Jarrod nodded and turned to look at Jen. “The usual, hon?”
    She nodded and slipped her arm through Grant’s.
    He smiled and bent to kiss her cheek before they crossed the room toward the sofa and love seat.
    Jen sat on the sofa. “Make yourself comfortable, Grant.”
    “Thanks, Jen.”
    I stiffened as I watched Grant move past the sofa. He paused by the loveseat.
    I moistened my lips and glanced up.
    He smiled down at me. “Do you mind, Linea?”
    He was handsome and probably very charming. He radiated sex appeal. There were probably few women who would object to sharing a loveseat with him. What did that say about me or how Jarrod had affected me that I felt as if I were one of them?
    I smiled again and nodded slowly. “Well, actually, I do—”
    “Thanks.” He cut me off and sank down beside me on the loveseat.
    He was a big man and I wasn’t a skinny Minnie. I could feel his thigh pressed against